Pulp tester



R. C. ANG ELL.

May 14, 1940.

PULP TESTER 'Filed May 1s, 19:56

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N @NBN Patented May 14, 1940 PULP kTESTER Robert o. Angell, Prince Bay,N. Y., assigner to The S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, acorporation of Pennsylvania Application May 10, 1936, serial No. 30,133

10 Claims.

rIhis invention relates particularly to that class of implements thatare employed by dental practitioners in determining the condition of thepulp of a tooth by means of an electric circuit, and

is especially directed to the type that comprises two relatively spacedelectrodes that maybe brought into intimate contact with the tooth to betested.

Pulp testers that have been commonly used are of two distinct types, onehaving a single point* electrode and the other having double pointelectrodes, vthe former having one terminal oi a metallic circuitarranged to be brought into contact with the patients tooth, while theother terminal is held in the'patients hand so that when an electriccurrent is turned on, the body of the patient, including Athe tooth,completes the circuit, and the latter having relatively spacedelectrodes providing closely related terminals for a metallic circuitwhich may be completed b-y bringing said spaced electrodes into contactwith a tooth to be tested. The Vitality is judged in the two pointtested in substantially theA same manner as with the single pointtester, excepting that the voltage required. to produce like sensationis considerably greater.

The double point tester hasadvantages over the single point tester inthat the patient is not required to give attention to the apparatus asis the case Where an, electrode is required to be held in the patientshand. Furthermore, there is a minimum probability of error in the doublepoint. tester for the reason that Athe electric current is localized tothe vicinity ofthe two electrode points in contact with the tooth undertest, Whereas, in ,a single point tester there is possibility ofobtaining false sensation in a devitalized tooth by reason of thecurrent passing through the patients body.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a double point pulptester that will be self-seating and consequently allord a satisfactoryand reliable contact of both ofthe electrode,`

sterilization.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a pulp tester havingelectrode points that have their respective tooth engaging ends nor-` u;mally extended to different distances from the;

parts but also to aiord thorough cleansing and (Cl. 12K-2.1)

instrument body-ini `which they are held, one being rigidlyV held bysaid body While the other is yieldingly engaged therein, and axiallymovable in parallel relation with respect to the one rigidly held. 5 Myinvention. also comprehends a pulp tester having readily separated andeasilyy assembled parts comprising that portion of the, instrument thatis adapted' to be entered ,intofthe mouth` of the patient, so as. to beconveniently cleansed 10 and sterilized after its use on. eachindividual patient. 1

Specifically stated, the forn'l of my invention as hereinafter.described comprises` an implement .arranged` tobe` readily connected anddiscon- 15 nected with anv electric current conductor carrying handle,and. having Aelectrical conveyors with which tooth' engaging electrodesare normally held in contact by 'a removable and replaceable coverportion of the implementbody.

My invention also includes all of the variou novel features ofconstruction and? arrangen'lent as hereinafter more. definitelyspecified. l

In` the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side elevational view of apulptester operatively con- 2,5 nected With an` electrical conductorcarrying instrument handle; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalView of said instrument handle and. a fragment of the rear endl of saidpulp tester,

taken along the axis thereof, `and convenientlyt showingthe electricalconnections; Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional View of thepulp tester per se; Fig. 4 is a vertical vlongitudinal sectional View ofsaid pulp tester, the rear portion thereof being' shown in elevation forconvenience 35 of illustration; Fig. 5 is a transverse verticalsectional view of the pulp tester litalien on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3;Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionall view of the'pulp tester takenv on theline 6-6 in Fig. 4, the electrodes being shown in elevationA 4.0 forconvenience-oiillustration;l Fig. l7 is an inverted Aperspective view ofthe removable vand replaceable co-ver for the electrode unitsi` and Fig.8 is a perspective view of the rigidly held electrode unit.' f i In saidfigures, the pulp tester I is. shown lremovably engaged with ,theinstrument handle 2V which is so constructed and,- arranged. as to beinterchangeably engaged with other electrical in struments employed fordifferent purposesgand 50 which is described in detail in my priorPatent No.,1,96 ll,867; l v, The pulp tester I comprises the body 31pref,- erablyfiormedof molded material and having joinedgtherewithlthethreaded ferrule by which 5 5 as a cap I2 which is normally retained incomplementary relation with the body 3 proper by the annular retainerferrule I3 whose inner ta*- pered surface conforms to the` slightlytaperingv surfaces 4 and 8 of the intermediatewregion of the body 3 andthe rear end region of the outer sur-- face of said cap or cover i2`respectively, and whose outer surface is provided with the knurled bandsI6 and I'I conveniently serving to facilitate its adjustment in lockingor unlocking the cap I2 with respect tothe body 3.

yThe plane surface I9 of the body 3 is provided with longitudinallydisposed parallel pockets and 2| which respectivelycommunicate with therelatively parallel bores and 26 extended through the downwardlyextending snout-like projection 2'I.

As shown in Fig. 3, the pocket 20 is of uniform width throughout itsextent, while the pocket 2| gradually increases in width rearwardly fora portion of its length, and, as shown in Fig. 7, the cap I2 is providedin its plane surface 29 with a pocket conforming to the graduallyincreasing width portion of the pocket 2I and registrable therewith toprovide a cavity of relatively substantial depth, as shown in Figs. 4and 6.

Said cap, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and '7, is also provided at its rearend portion with the substantially rectangular pocket 32 in its planesurface 29, the 'side walls of which pocket are provided with recesses33 and 34 arranged to conform to correspondingly formed projections 35and 36 rising from the plane surface of said body 3, as indicated inFigs. 3, 4 and 5, so that when these recesses and projections relativelyengage andthe retaining ferrule is forced to place, the cap I2 is heldin integral relation with the body 3 proper,

The pocket 20 and its communicating bore 25 is arranged to receive theelectrode 50, shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and8, having its terminal 5Iextended through the bore 25 and its spring tailpiece or tang 52extending rearwardly and offset at 53 and terminating in the contact 55,which is slightly declined rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, so as toinsure a maximum pressure contact with the flattened contact terminalI0, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. l

The pocket 2I and its communicating bore 26 is arranged to receive theelectrode 60 and its parts, shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, having itsterminal 6I extended through the bore 26 and its spring tail-piece 62extending rearwardly and offset at 63 and terminating in the contact'65,and like the contact 55 is arranged to be slightly declined rearwardlyso as to insure pressure contactwith the flattened contact terminal II.It may be here noted that the tail-piece 52 gradually increases in widthrearwardly for a portion 70v4 of its length and conforms to the pocket2l, and that the difference in shape of the spring tailpieces of therespective electrodes insures their proper placement.

' It will be observed that the electrode terminal sl is somewhat umger'than the'electrede terminal 5I, and that the tail-piece 52 of theelectrode 5I] is held by the cap I2 in stationary re- Y. lation, whilethe electrode tail-piece 62 of the v electrode 60 is free to rise in thepocket 30 in the cap I2 so that when the point 65 o'f the terminal 6|engages the surface of a tooth it yields upwardly with respect to thestructure as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 until the point 55 of the terminal5I also engages a surface of the tooth-or other object underobservation.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the ferrule 5 is provided with screwthreads I0 arranged to engage the internal screw threads II in theforward end of the instrument handle 2 so that when thus engaged theconductors Ii and 'I respectively contact with the contact points I2 andI4 of the respective spring tangs 'I3 and '15, which are con` nectedthrough the leads 'I6 and 'I'I with the terminal connectors 7B and 19.

My invention is advantageous in that it'provides a mouth instrumenthaving its parts so correlated as to be conveniently separated forcleansing and sterilizing purposes, and also af-l fords convenientreplacement of Worn, broken or defective parts; furthermore, it may bereadily connected and disconnected with an instrument handle universallyemployed to receive and hold instruments variously constructedtoperform` widely differing functio-ns. q l,

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be madeA therein without departing from theessential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dental pulp testerhaving relatively movable electrode pointsnormally projecting outwardly in the same general direction from thefree end' of said implement to `relatively different extent and arrangedto be relatively moved so that the relativev difference inextent of pro--jection may be varied. l

2. A dental pulptester comprising a hollow split body having a removableand replaceable cover, electrodes having terminal connecting tail piecesremovably retained in the hollow ofsaid body by said cover, oneelectrode being held stationary while the other may be relatively movedwith respect thereto bycontact Withfa tooth surface.` f

3. An implement of the class described comprising a split body providedwith pockets ,and`

having a removable and replaceable cover, elec-` 4. An implement of theclass described com?.

prising a body havingseparable parts which when assembled affordDockets, means `engaging said parts to form an integral structureelectric conductors terminating in said body, and removable andreplaceable electrode tangs disposed in said pockets and held inelectrical contact withiny said body with said electric conductors ybysaid means. l.

-5. An implement'of the class described comfprising a body havingrelatively separable lparts which when assembled' aiiord pockets ofrelatively different depth, electric conductors in' said y body, andremovable and replaceable electrode tangs disposed in said pockets in4electrical contact with said electric conductors, one ybeing maintainedrigid with said bodyfand the other being free to move by lateraldeflection with respect thereto in the pocket of greater depth.

6. An implement ofthe class described comprising a body havingrelatively separable parts and including a cover which when assembledafford pockets of different depths and contours, a locking memberslidably mounted thereon and arranged to rigidly hold said body andcover in integral relation, electric conductors in said body, andremovable and replaceable electrode tangs of contours correspondingsubstantially to ,the contours of said pockets disposed in said pocketsin electrical contact with said electric conductors, one beingmaintained rigid with said body and the other being free to move bylateral deflection with respect thereto in the pocket of greater depth.

7. An implement of the class described comprising a body havingrelatively separable parts including a cover cooperative to form pocketsof relatively diiferent contour and extent, electric conductors havingltheir inner ends terminating in one of said pockets, an electrode partof substantially uniform width removably disposed in another of saidpockets and having a rearwardly extending contact projecting intoengagement with the terminal of one of said conductors and an electrode'part of varying width removably disposed in another of said pockets andhaving a rearwardly extending contact projecting into engagement withthe terminal of the other of said conductors.

8. An implement of the class described comprising a body having anelectric conductor terminating therein, and provided with a pocket, andan electrode disposed in said pocket and comprising a tang terminatingin a flexible contact arranged to engage said conductor and normallydisposed in angular relation to said tang and arranged to be deflectedby engagement with said body.

9. An implement of the vclass described comprising a body havingrelative separable parts including a cover, the body proper and saidcover being cooperative to form pockets therein, electrical conductorsterminating in said pockets, an electrode held immovable in said body bysaid cover and comprising a tang having a terminal projecting laterallytherefrom through the side of said body, a movable electrode having atang Ldeflectable in one of said pockets and having a terminalprojecting laterally therefrom through the side of said body in parallelrelation to the terminal of said immovable electrode and normallyprojecting outwardly beyond the end thereof and arranged to be forcedinwardly against the spring tension of its tang by bearing against aconducting object until the points of both electrode terminals engagesaid object whereby a closed electrical circuit Will be formed.

r10. An implement of the class described comprising a body havingrelatively separable parts including a cover, the body'proper and saidcover having recesses arranged to register with each l other andcomplementary to form an electrode receiving pocket, electricalconductors terminating in said body, an electrode having its terminalprojecting laterally from its spring tang through the side of said bodyand rigidly engaged by said cover, and an electrode having its terminalprojecting laterally from its` spring tang through the side of said bodyin parallel relationto the first mentioned terminal but of greaterextent and normally protruding beyond the end of said rigidly engagedterminal and mounted for axial movement by deflection of its spring tangin said pocket when forced against an electrically conductive object tobridge the gap between the free ends of said electrodes, the tangs ofsaid electrodes being held in contact with the terminals of saidelectrical conductors by said cover. l

ROBERT C. ANGELI...

